The present invention relates to a communication terminal apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus and a data communication modem which exchanges communication data with a remote terminal and exchanges data with a computer apparatus connected via an interface, and also relates to a computer apparatus which can exchange data with a communication terminal connected via an interface.
In a conventional communication terminal such as a facsimile apparatus, communication is preformed with a computer apparatus such as a personal computer via an interface such as a Centronics interface. For example, image data received from a remote facsimile apparatus via a communication line is transferred to a personal computer so as to visually output the image data by displaying on a display apparatus or printing on the personal computer side. The received image data may be recorded as a file on a hard disc or processed by an optical character reader application so as to extract text data. Additionally, the image data may be transferred from an application on the personal computer to a facsimile apparatus so that the image data transferred from the personal computer is sent to a remote facsimile apparatus.
In the conventional communication terminal such as a facsimile apparatus, information with respect to operations of the apparatus is announced to a user by a visual output such as a display of a report based on the information with respect to operations of the apparatus or a record of the information on a recording paper by a plotter.
Specifically, the apparatus announces contents of various settings of the apparatus to a user. For example, a report is prepared based on contents of settings of the apparatus, and the report is visually output in accordance with a report output requesting operation of the user. As for the contents of settings to be displayed, there is a setting state for correspondence between each one-touch key and a name and a telephone number of a remote party in a one-touch dial function; a setting state for correspondence between each shortened number and a name and a telephone number of a remote party in a shortened number dial function; a setting state for a programmable function to register a procedure (a designation of transmitting time) for a transmitting operation for a predetermined address to a specific one-touch key; and a setting state of parameters of a predetermined value such as an original document reading line density or an image recording intensity which cannot be fixed at the time of delivery as the setting varies for each user.
Additionally, as for the information related to an operation of the apparatus, information (communication management information) with respect to communication with a remote terminal other than settings for the apparatus is included.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.4-172753 discloses a technique for accumulating and storing information (communication management information) with respect to communication in order to manage communication with a remote facsimile apparatus. As the communication management information, for example, there is information with respect to date (and time) of transmission and reception; information with respect to a facsimile number and a name of a remote facsimile apparatus, which are announced by the remote facsimile apparatus in a protocol procedure of a facsimile communication; information with respect to distinction as to whether a communication mode is G3 or G4; information with respect to resolution of received image information; information with respect to communication time; information with respect to the number of pages included in transmitted and received image information; information with respect to distinction as to whether a result of the transmission is normal or abnormal; and information with respect to communication cost.
If the communication management information is accumulated for a predetermined number of communications or if a user requests an output of the communication management information, the communication management information which is stored as internal expression codes such as a value xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d for the result indicating normal and a value xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d for the result indicating abnormal is converted into a character code, that is, for example, the value xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d when the result of transmission is normal is listed in accordance with a predetermined format by converting the value xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d into a character code (79, 75) which corresponds to a character string xe2x80x9cOKxe2x80x9d. Thereafter a string of character codes corresponding to the information management report is prepared. Additionally, for example, font data corresponding to the character string xe2x80x9cOKxe2x80x9d is read so as to develop the image of the character string xe2x80x9cOKxe2x80x9d on a memory in order to prepare image data of the communication management report. The image data thus prepared is output by being displayed on a display unit or recorded on a recording paper.
As mentioned above, in the conventional communication terminal such as a facsimile apparatus, a communication report is produced and output on recording paper so as to manage communications with a remote communication terminal. Accordingly, if there are many communications, the communication management report is recorded and output frequently. Thus, large amounts of recording paper is used to output the communication management report. Additionally, when the large amounts of communication management reports is output by being recorded on recording paper, there is a problem in that such management is very inconvenient when the user manages the communications of the communication terminal for each period of time, such as on a monthly basis.
Additionally, when the communication management report is displayed on a display unit, a display area of the display unit must be enlarged so as to display the communication management information in the form of a list such as a record on recording paper. Accordingly, the capacity of an image memory must be increased. If the display area is small, the capacity of the image memory can be decreased, however, an operability is decreased since the communication management report must be displayed one by one. Additionally, the communication management report displayed on the display unit is used only for a visual check and cannot be used for other purposes.
As mentioned above, as long as the communication terminal outputs the communication management report by recording on recording paper in the terminal or displaying it on a display unit, there is a problem in that the user cannot perform a systematic management of the communication management report of the communication terminal. Additionally, there is a problem that recording paper is wasted. Further, the same kind of problem occurs with respect to various information related to an operation of the apparatus including contents of the setting of the apparatus other than the communication management information.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved and useful communication terminal apparatus and a computer apparatus in which the above-mentioned problems are eliminated.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a communication terminal apparatus and a computer apparatus in which information related to an operation of the communication terminal apparatus such as communication management information can be managed easily and systematically.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a communication terminal apparatus and a computer apparatus which can reduce the amount of recording paper.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, there is provided according to one aspect of the present invention a communication terminal apparatus which exchanges communication data with a remote communication terminal apparatus via a communication line and also is capable of exchanging data with a computer apparatus connected via an interface, characterized by:
report accumulating means for accumulating
report data which is based on information related to apparatus operations; and
report sending means for sending the report data accumulated in said report accumulating means to said computer apparatus via said interface when a request for sending a report is sent from said computer apparatus via said interface.
According to the above-mentioned invention, since the report data which is based on the information with respect to apparatus operations accumulated in the report accumulating means is sent to said computer apparatus via the interface when a request for sending the report is sent from the computer apparatus via the interface, there is an effect that an easy and systematic arrangement of the report data which is based on the information with respect said apparatus operations can be achieved by filing by the computer apparatus. Additionally, there is an advantage that the number of recording papers for recording the report data based on the information with respect to the apparatus operations can be reduced by displaying the information with respect to the apparatus operations on the computer apparatus side.
Additionally, there is provided according to another aspect of the present invention a communication terminal apparatus which exchanges communication data with a remote communication terminal apparatus via a communication line and also is capable of exchanging data with a computer apparatus connected via a network,
characterized by:
report accumulating means for accumulating report data which is based on information related to apparatus operations; and
report sending means for sending the report data accumulated in said report accumulating means to said computer apparatus via said network when a request for sending a report is sent from said computer apparatus via said network.
According to this invention, since the report data which is based on the information with respect to apparatus operations accumulated in the report accumulating means is sent to said computer apparatus via the network when a request for sending the report is sent from the computer apparatus via the network, there is an effect that an easy and systematic arrangement of the report data which is based on the information with respect to said apparatus operations can be achieved by filing by the computer apparatus. Additionally, there is an advantage that the number of recording papers for recording the report data based on the information with respect to the apparatus operations can be reduced by displaying the information with respect to the apparatus operations on the computer apparatus side.
Additionally, there is provided according to another aspect of the present invention a communication terminal apparatus which exchanges communication data with a remote communication terminal apparatus via a communication line and also is capable of exchanging data with a computer apparatus connected via a network,
characterized by:
report accumulating means for accumulating report data which is based on information related to apparatus operations; and
report sending means for sending the report data accumulated in said report accumulating means to said computer apparatus via said network when an amount of information related to said apparatus operations accumulated in said report accumulating means reaches a predetermined amount.
According to the above-mentioned invention, since the report data which is based on the information with respect the apparatus operations accumulated in the report accumulating means is sent to the computer apparatus via the network when the amount of information with respect to the apparatus operations accumulated in the report accumulating means reaches a predetermined amount, there is an advantage that it is not happen that the report data based on the information with respect to the apparatus operations will not be erased without an announcement to a user even when the request for sending the report has not been issued from the computer apparatus for a long time.
There is provided according to yet another aspect of the present invention a communication terminal apparatus which exchanges communication data with a remote communication terminal apparatus via a communication line and also is capable of exchanging data with a computer apparatus connected via a network,
characterized by:
report accumulating means for accumulating report data which is based on information related to apparatus operations; and
report sending means for sending the report data accumulated in said report accumulating means to said computer apparatus via said network when a change is made in contents of the report data accumulated in said report accumulating means.
According to the above-mentioned invention, since the report data after being changed is sent to the host computer via the network when there is a change in the contents of the report data which is based on the information with respect to the apparatus operations accumulated in the report accumulating means, there is an advantage that the new contents of the report data after being changed, which is based on the information with respect to the apparatus operations, can be announced immediately to a user.
There is provided according to one aspect of the present invention a communication terminal apparatus which exchanges communication data with a remote communication terminal apparatus via a communication line and also is capable of exchanging data with a computer apparatus connected via an interface,
characterized by:
report accumulating means for accumulating setting contents report data which is based on contents of an apparatus setting; and
report sending means for sending the setting contents report data accumulated in said report accumulating means to said computer apparatus via said interface when a request for sending a setting contents report is sent from said computer apparatus via said interface.
According to the above-mentioned invention, since the report data which is based on the information with respect to contents of the setting of the apparatus accumulated in the report accumulating means is sent to the computer apparatus via the interface when a request for sending the report is sent from the computer apparatus via the interface, there is an effect that an easy and systematic arrangement of the setting contents report data can be achieved by filing by the computer apparatus. Additionally, there is an advantage that the number of recording papers for recording the setting contents report data can be reduced by displaying the setting contents report data on the computer apparatus side.
Additionally, there is provided according to another aspect of the present invention a communication terminal apparatus which exchanges communication data with a remote communication terminal apparatus via a communication line and also is capable of exchanging data with a computer apparatus connected via an interface,
characterized by:
communication management information accumulating means for accumulatively storing information related to communications performed with the remote communication terminal apparatus as communication management information for each communication;
report producing means for producing communication management report data which is based on the communication management information of each communication accumulated in said communication management information accumulating means when a request for sending a communication management report is sent from said computer apparatus via said interface; and
report sending means for sending the communication management report data produced by said report producing means to said computer apparatus via said interface.
According to the above-mentioned invention, since a communication management report which is based on the communication management information for each communication accumulated in the communication management information accumulating means is sent to the computer apparatus when a request for sending the communication management report is sent from the computer apparatus, many communication management reports are not recorded on a recording paper as is in a case in which the communication terminal apparatus outputs the communication management reports by itself when the number of reports is large, and thus management is not complicated. Additionally, since there is no need to continuously store the communication management information corresponding to the communication management report data which has been sent to the computer apparatus, there is an advantage that the communication terminal apparatus does not need a large capacity memory for storing the communication management information. Additionally, there is an effect that an easy and systematic arrangement of the communication management report data can be achieved by filing by the computer apparatus. Additionally, there is an advantage that the number of recording papers for recording the communication management report data can be reduced by displaying the communication management report on the computer apparatus side.
Additionally, there is provided according to the present invention a communication terminal apparatus which exchanges communication data with a remote communication terminal apparatus via a communication line and also is capable of exchanging data with a computer apparatus connected via an interface,
characterized by:
communication management information accumulating means for accumulatively storing information related to communications performed with the remote communication terminal apparatus as communication management information for each communication;
report producing means for producing communication management report data which is based on the communication management information of each communication accumulated in said communication management information accumulating means when an amount of communication management information for each communication accumulated in said communication management information accumulating means reaches a predetermined number; and
report sending means for sending the communication management report data produced by said report producing means to said computer apparatus via said interface.
According to the above-mentioned invention, since the communication management report data which is based on the communication management information for each communication is automatically sent to the computer apparatus when the number of communication management information for each communication which are accumulated in the communication management information accumulating means reaches a predetermined number, there is an advantage that the communication management information is not canceled without announcement to a user even when a request for sending the communication management report is not issued from the computer apparatus for a long time.
There is provided according to another aspect of the present invention a communication terminal apparatus which exchanges communication data with a remote communication terminal apparatus via a communication line and also is capable of exchanging data with a computer apparatus connected via an interface,
characterized by:
communication management information accumulating means for accumulatively storing information related to communications performed with the remote communication terminal apparatus as communication management information for each communication;
report sending instruction inputting means for receiving an input operation for instructing a transmission of communication management report data to said computer apparatus;
report producing means for producing the communication management report data which is based on the communication management information of each communication accumulated in said communication management information accumulating means when an instruction for sending a report is input from said report sending instruction inputting means; and
report sending means for sending the communication management report data produced by said report producing means to said computer apparatus via said interface.
According to the above-mentioned invention, since the communication management report data which is based on the communication management information for each communication accumulated in the communication management accumulating means is sent to the computer apparatus when an instruction for sending the report is input by the report sending instruction inputting means, there is an advantage that the communication management report data can be sent to the computer apparatus whenever a user desires.
Additionally, the communication terminal apparatus according to the present invention may comprise transmission unable report outputting means for sending to said computer apparatus a notification for confirming whether or not preparation of reception of the report data has been completed before said report sending means sends the report data to said computer apparatus, and for visually outputting said report data when a response acknowledgement indicating completion of the preparation of reception of the report data has not been sent from said computer apparatus within a predetermined time period after sending the notification.
According to the above-mentioned invention, since a notification for confirming whether or not preparation of reception of the report data has been completed is sent to the computer apparatus before the report sending means sends the report data to the computer apparatus, and the report data is visually output by the transmission unable report outputting means when a response acknowledgement indicating a completion of the preparation of reception of the report data has not been sent from the computer apparatus within a predetermined time period after sending the notification, the report data is self-output by the communication terminal apparatus when power of the computer apparatus is in an off state and thus the computer apparatus cannot receive the report data from the communication terminal apparatus in a normal condition. Thus, for example, if there are communications which exceed the predetermined number of times in the night time, the communication management information corresponding to the communications can be prevented from being erased without being able to announce it to a user.
Additionally, the communication terminal apparatus according to the present invention may comprise:
report output destination setting means for setting whether said report data is sent to said computer apparatus or visually output by the apparatus itself; and
report outputting means for visually outputting said report data when a setting of said report output destination setting means is for visually outputting said report data by the apparatus itself,
wherein said report sending means sends said report data to said computer apparatus only when the setting of said report output setting means is for sending said report data to said computer apparatus.
Accordingly, since it can be set either to send the report data to the computer apparatus or to be visually output by the apparatus itself, the report data can be self output by the communication terminal apparatus itself without sending the report data to the computer apparatus and there is an effect that operability for the user can be improved.
Additionally, in the communication terminal apparatus according to the present invention, the report accumulating means may accumulate the report data sent from the report sending means to the computer apparatus as image data.
According to this invention, since the report accumulating means accumulates the report data sent from the report sending means to the computer apparatus as image data, the report data received by the computer apparatus can be converted into a text file by conventional OCR software, which enables an arbitrary arrangement. Additionally, since the report data sent to the computer apparatus is the same type as that of the report data which is self-output, there is an advantage that there is no need to provide a new structure or control function to the computer apparatus for responding to data of a different type when it is compared with a case in which the report data is sent to the computer apparatus in a type different from the type of image data.
Additionally, in the communication terminal apparatus according to the present invention the report accumulating means may accumulate the report data sent from the report sending means to the computer apparatus as image data which is encoded by a predetermined encoding method.
Accordingly, since the report accumulating means accumulates the report data sent from the report sending means to the computer apparatus as image data which is encoded by a predetermined encoding method, there is an advantage that the amount of data sent to the computer apparatus can be reduced further than image data which is not encoded and a transmission time for the report data can be reduced by the corresponding amount of time.
Additionally, in the communication terminal apparatus according to the present invention, the report accumulating means may accumulate the report data sent from the report sending means to the computer apparatus as character code data.
According to this invention, since the report accumulating means accumulates the report data sent from the report sending means to the computer apparatus as character code data, there is an advantage that the amount of data sent to the computer apparatus can be reduced further than image data which is encoded or not encoded and a transmission time for the report data can be further reduced by the corresponding amount of time.
Additionally, in the communication terminal apparatus according to the present invention, the report accumulating means may accumulate the report data sent from the report sending means to the computer apparatus as internal expression code data in a predetermined form.
According to this invention, since the report accumulating means accumulates the report data sent from the report sending means to the computer apparatus as internal expression code data in a predetermined form, there is an advantage that the amount of data sent to the computer apparatus can be reduced further than character code data and a transmission time for the report data can be further reduced by the corresponding amount of time.
Additionally, in the communication terminal apparatus according to the present invention, the report producing means may produce the report data sent from the report sending means to the computer apparatus as image data.
Accordingly, since the report producing means produces the report data sent from the report sending means to the computer apparatus as image data, the report data received by the computer apparatus can be converted into a text file by conventional OCR software, which enables an arbitrary arrangement. Additionally, since the report data sent to the computer apparatus is the same type as that of the report data which is self output, there is an advantage that there is no need to provide a new structure or control function to the computer apparatus for responding to data of a different type when it is compared with a case in which the report data is sent to the computer apparatus in a type different from the type of image data.
Additionally, in the communication terminal apparatus according to the present invention, the report producing means may produce the report data sent from the report sending means to the computer apparatus as image data which is encoded by a predetermined encoding method.
Accordingly, since the report producing means produces the report data sent from the report sending means to the computer apparatus as image data which is encoded by a predetermined encoding method, there is an advantage that the amount of data sent to the computer apparatus can be reduced further than image data which is not encoded and a transmission time for the report data can be reduced by the corresponding amount of time.
Additionally, in the communication terminal apparatus according to the present invention, the report producing means may produce the report data sent from the report sending means to the computer apparatus as character code data.
Accordingly, since the report producing means produces the report data sent from the report sending means to said computer apparatus as character code data, there is an advantage that the amount of data sent to the computer apparatus can be reduced further than image data which is encoded or not encoded and a transmission time for the report data can be further reduced by the corresponding amount of time.
Additionally, in the communication terminal apparatus according to the present invention, the report producing means may produce the report data sent from the report sending means to the computer apparatus as internal expression code data in a predetermined form.
Accordingly, since the report producing means produces the report data sent from the report sending means to the computer apparatus as internal expression code data in a predetermined form, there is an advantage that the amount of data sent to the computer apparatus can be reduced further than character code data and a transmission time for the report data can be further reduced by the corresponding amount of time.
Additionally, there is provided according to another aspect of the present invention a computer apparatus which is capable of exchanging data with a communication terminal apparatus connected via an interface,
characterized by:
transmission requesting means for requesting a transmission of a report to said communication terminal apparatus via said interface;
report receiving means for receiving report data which is sent from said communication terminal apparatus via said interface as image data in accordance with a request for sending a report from said transmission requesting means; and
report outputting means for visually outputting the report data as the image data received by said report receiving means.
According to the above-mentioned invention, since the request for sending a report is sent to the communication terminal apparatus via the interface and the report data as image data sent from the communication terminal apparatus in response to the request for sending a report is received via the interface and is visually output, there is an effect that there is no need to record the report data on a recording paper on the communication terminal apparatus side, and the amount of recording paper can be saved. Additionally, there is an advantage that the report data can be visually output without any process applied to the report data by receiving the report data as image data.
Additionally, there is provided according to another aspect of the present invention a computer apparatus which is capable of exchanging data with a communication terminal apparatus connected via an interface,
characterized by:
transmission requesting means for requesting a transmission of a report to said communication terminal apparatus via said interface;
report receiving means for receiving report data which is sent from said communication terminal apparatus via said interface as image data encoded by a predetermined encoding method in accordance with a request for sending a report from said transmission requesting means;
report data decoding means for decoding the report data, which is the image data received by said report receiving means and encoded by said predetermined encoding method, by a predetermined decoding method corresponding to said predetermined encoding method; and
report outputting means for visually outputting the report data as the image data decoded by said report data decoding means.
According to the above-mentioned invention, since the request for sending a report is sent to the communication terminal apparatus via the interface and the report data as encoded image data sent from the communication terminal apparatus in response to the request for sending a report is received via the interface and is visually output after it is decoded, there is an effect that there is no need to record the report data on a recording paper on the communication terminal apparatus side, and the amount of recording paper can be saved. Additionally, since the report data is received as encoded image data, there is an advantage that transmission time of the report data can be reduced by an amount of time corresponding to the reduced amount of data due to encoding when it is compared with a case in which non-encoded image data is received as it is.
Additionally, there is provided according to another aspect of the present invention a computer apparatus which is capable of exchanging data with a communication terminal apparatus connected via an interface,
characterized by:
transmission requesting means for requesting a transmission of a report to said communication terminal apparatus via said interface;
report receiving means for receiving report data which is sent from said communication terminal apparatus via said interface as character code data in accordance with a request for sending a report from said transmission requesting means;
font developing means for font-developing the report data, which is the character code data received by said report receiving means, so as to convert the character code data into image data; and
report outputting means for visually outputting the report data as the image data font-developed by said font developing means.
According to the above-mentioned invention, since the request for sending a report is sent to the communication terminal apparatus via the interface and the report data as character code data sent from the communication terminal apparatus in response to the request for sending a report is received via the interface and is visually output after it is font-developed, there is an effect that there is no need to record the report data on a recording paper on the communication terminal apparatus side, and the amount of recording paper can be saved. Additionally, since the report data is received as character code data, there is an advantage that a transmission time of the report data can be reduced by an amount of time corresponding to the reduced amount of data due to the reception of character data as it is when it is compared with a case in which non-encoded image data or encoded image data is received as it is.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.